Reign Fall
He was the Crown Prince, beloved as a youth by common folk
Brave and virtuous, forged in war and cannon smoke
Forsaking safety, he stood shoulder to shoulder with his soldiers
Waded through seas of mud and blood until his fighting days were over
He led the charge at Tuscany, broke the siege at Genoa
Sat at dinner with his people, drank to drunk then back to sober
By his heart he was guided, he would get to the end
For freedom grown in battlefields by the sweat of his men
Suffered slings and arrows, swords, all deflected by his pride
Delivered condolences to widows, held brave souls as they died
A living Hero, held aloft, a true man of the people
Hopeful fools he would rule and be damned by his evil
At his father's funeral he gave a rousing speech to the masses
About how the system was unfair to the downtrodden classes
Fantastic promises were made; this was a feel-good medley
'I'll put a chicken in every pot! Hot food in every belly!
Your days of hard work are over, to me, you're all family!
They'll be tax breaks and cold mead and, excuse my profanity,
This is best damned Kingdom on Earth I declare!
Let them look on our works, ye mighty, and despair!'
The crowning ceremony was a true masterclass in excess
Silks and gold, his new bride radiant in her best dress
The people felt they were blessed, free from sorrow and fear
....the new taxes were announced in the following year
This was no great revelation, we know it resolutely
That absolute power, corrupts absolutely
Arrogance warped his morals, made his reign a thunderstorm
His children's birthdays? National holidays every time one was born
Spoiled brats to a child, luxury had made them sick of joy
So they took their tantrums out on legions of whipping boys
Wives were kidnapped to the keep to fuel the King's raw lust
And the chicken in the pots turned to bread and saw dust
Draped in robes of his vanity, there was no telling him
That the rain of his tyranny grew seeds of rebellion
It began as murmured whispers, scraps of parchment being shared
Basement congregations where resentment filled the air
Base hatred would spawn plots to bring an end his power
As a million drops of water poured turns to a shower
Murals were scrawled on walls 'Death to Tyrants!' and 'Free our Souls!'
Guards on patrols to cover them, offenders tortured in gaols
But the impression that they made could be etched in stone
In broken trust cracks are seen even after you've set the bone
Protests were gathered, angry cries were the chrous:
'We're the ones who cheered you on the throne! You can't ignore us!'
The King heard the ceaseless chants and said;
'Their babble is meaningless,
But civil disobedience is still disobedience.'
Paranoia spouted roots, imagination told twisted fables
He hired food tasters and banned knives at the kitchen tables
His palace turned into a fortress, the parapets were packed
The doors were reinforced and engineers set their traps
Chaos crept, the King shivered at the change in the weather
Under the protection of his cold stone and iron umbrella
The years fell like leaves, and men under his banner flee
Cracks appeared on his face to match the cracks in his sanity
He rarely appears in public now, in fear of his sovereign nation
So his children took the reins to hold up his delegation
Revolts eventually were crushed, the bodies hung as a warning
While nightmares plagued his dreams, screamed out his lungs every morning
About the sky turning red, ravens, blood in his mouth
A sea of crimson, tears and sweat making a flood in his house
So at sixty, he barely stood, shell of the ghost of himself
And one stormy night his daughter raised a toast to his health
After his drained his cup to cries of
'To the High King!'
Pain tore through his gut like a bolt of lightning
He staggered back, gasping, edging into death's shroud
As wine sprayed from his mouth in a toxic cloud
Sharp knowledge pierced his mind, he'd finally paid for his sins
And the bill was written in his children's traitorous grins
'You lived too long father.'
His boy's calm was terrible
'We only followed your example. This was inevitable.'
His Reign fell, and the water came from his own palace
He watered his crops with poison so he harvested malice
At the funeral his son gave a rousing speech to the masses...